Forget-Me-Not
by lmaowyld
Summary: Drabbles set in the sleepy village of Forget-Me-Not.
1. Dylan

Ch. 1- Dylan

* * *

Nami sits at the kitchen table, slowly rubbing her pregnant belly. She was alone, and it was late at night. Or was it early in the morning? The redhead seemed to never have track of the time.

The door creaked open, slowly. "Nami?" It was Jack. Her love. Her rock. Her husband. "It's five in the morning. Are you okay?"

Nami glanced over. "Fine."

Jack sat down, placing his hand gently on hers, which still rested on her stomach. "..Is it.. About the baby?" No answer. "Because.. I'm.. It's okay if you're nervous. I'm nervous, too."

"I'm petrified," she huffed. Jack suddenly lifted Nami into his arms. Normally she'd scramble but she felt rather tired.

Her husband leaned her down into the bed. "There. You rest for as long as you need to. I'm gonna go get work started. Holler if you need me." Nami curled up in the quilt, sighing as sleep finally overtook her.

* * *

It was the 17th day of Winter. Nami was, to put it lightly, huge. Jack doted on her every second he could, but he eventually had to do some farm work. The former traveller relished in the empty farmhouse, until she began to feel some pains. Nami broke out into a sweat as she realized this must be it. The almost-mother waddled out, grabbing a bag of items she may or may not need.

"Jack!" she called. "Jack, are you here? I-" A sharp contraction, "ach! I, uh, think it's time!" A sense of urgency showed in her voice. There was no answer. "He's.. Probably fishing, or... Milking a.. A cow.." She huffed as she tried to make her way to the clinic. "Just.. A little longer... I can make it! Ugh.."

A huge contraction forced her on her knees. "Agh! Okay, Nami, you can make it.. Just a few more.."

"Nami!" It was Ruby. "Nami, is it time? Where's Jack? Are you okay?"

"Hi, uh.. Yes, I don't know, and no."

"Of course not, sweetheart. Let's get you to Dr. Hardy.. I'll get Tim to ring Nina. Best midwife in both Mineral Town and Forget-Me-Not Valley."

Nami didn't answer. She focused on her own breathing, and was shocked when she found herself lying in the clinic bed. "Okay, Nami, that baby's coming and it's coming now. You ready?"

"N-no.. Jack.."

"Takakura set off to find him. He'll be here eventually. But that baby's as impatient as my own husband," Nina laughed. Ruby dabbed sweat off Nami's brow.

"Alright, Nami, it's now or.. Well, now."

It only took around 6 pushes for a baby wail to sound. And a slam of the door.

"It's a b-"

"Nami!" Jack.

"Boy."

"Oh, goddess.. We have a son... I'm not.. I'm not even mad at you for being late.." Jack rushed to be by her side.

"We have a son.. A boy.. All of our own.. Name him, Nami. You earned it."

Nami looked at her baby's pudgy, alien-like face. He had a tuft of vibrant red hair, just like hers. "..Dylan."

"Dylan. I like that."

* * *

Dylan, now 3, was busy being a toddler and developing his own personality. He was quiet and thoughtful like his mother, yet charming and bashful like his father. He didn't really like the farm all that much; he prefered staying indoors, unless his parents took him somewhere.

"Dylan, come here please?"

The boy toddled over to his mother who was sitting on her bed. She lifted him up into his arms. "Wha' Mommy?"

Nami sighed, pressing her son's head her to heart. "..Nothin'." He snuggled into her chest and sighed happily. "I love you buddy."

"Luh' you back!"

* * *

"Dylan's a sissy! Dylan's a sissy!" A little boy named Carver sneered. Dylan looked down at his feet, avoiding the bully.

An older boy, Hugh, walked up to Dylan. "Hey, buddy. Want me to walk you home?" The redhead nodded shyly, and Hugh took him to the farm. "Don't worry about Carver. He's just mad because he tripped and fell during the P.E. free time."

The boys walked in near silence. "I'll see you, buddy."

Buddy. That's been his nickname since he was a baby, as far as he knew. His father called him buddy, his mother, even his grandmother Ruby. Dylan sort of cringed when it escaped Hugh's mouth.

"Bye."

* * *

As a teenager, Dylan wasn't much happier. He had come to terms with his sexuality but was feeling apprehensive about telling his mother and father... Well, more so his father. He was a silent, serious man who seemed to only have a soft spot for the animals and Nami. Sure, he loved his son, but Dylan knew Jack wanted a successor, and he just didn't fit the cut.

He really acknowledged this fact when he overheard his parents arguing about whether or not they should have a second baby. Nami refused, which made Dylan feel good. "I love our family the way it is," she's insist. "Dylan's perfect. Why would you want another?"

"He's moody and uninterested in anything I do," Jack would grumble. That shot a pang in his stomach.

That evening, he packed up some clothes in a rucksack and ran away. He had to tip-toe out as to not disturb his parents or the dog, but he didn't leave without making his bed and leaving a neatly folded note on the pillow.

Dylan didn't get too far; just in the pass between Mineral Town and the valley he was native to. He slept under a tree unsoundly, and when he woke with the sun, he carried onto Mineral Town, arriving in the late morning. He was amazed by the city, only hearing stories from his mother and other villagers. There were houses and shops and even a church. A lot more people, as well. He ended up at an inn/restaurant duplex and wandered inside, sitting at a table. An aged man behind the counter greeted him and asked for his name, and his origins.

"..Dylan.. And, uh.. I'm from... I'm from Forget-Me-Not Valley," he sighed.

"You look a little young to be a traveller.. Not more than 16."

"I am 16, sir."

"Well, what are you doing here, so far away from home? Your folks must be worried, son."

"...They probably are. But it's okay. I'm a burden."

"Now, now. No child is a burden. My little Ann is a handful but I love her to death. Why don't you go on home to your mama?"

"Because they're better off without me. You don't understand. My father's a farmer and I can't do it. He's always disappointed in me because all I do is paint and play music."

"A musical fella, huh? We haven't had musical talent in this town in years.. Now, son. You may be different but your parents but I'm sure they love you. You should really head on home, before you get into any trouble."

Dylan looked at the man, frowning. "..Suppose... You're right.." He stood, and headed for the door, but it swung open on him!

"Excuse me, have you seen a teenaged boy? About this high, red hair?" The man pointed to Dylan, who was now on the floor.

"This'm?"

"Dylan! We were worried sick. Please, never do this again!" Nami grabbed him and yanked him up, holding on tightly.

Jack remained back, crossing his arms. He frowned. "Son.. You know I love you. Why would you think otherwise?"

Dylan looked at his shoes. "Well, I heard you and Mom talking, and.."

The parents looked at their son, seeing how upset and hurt he was. Nami squeezed her tall boy. "Dylan..we love you. We aren't looking to replace you. We discussed having another child. That's all."

Jack stood forward. "It's true, though, Dylan. I do need a successor. I'm not going to live forever. But it doesn't have to be a child of mine. I'm sorry I hurt you. Let's go home."

* * *

Dylan was an adult. He knew what he wanted to do in life; be a musician. He had a lovely voice and was skilled in piano. Gustafa had even begun giving him guitar lessons, as had Griffin. His parents didn't know about his ability until the night of their anniversary, where he sang a song of gratitude to them. That was also the night he told his mother about how he realized he was gay. As expected, she totally supported him, however she warned him about telling his father.

"Not yet," she'd say.

Dylan groaned and huffed. "Why?"

"He won't appreciate it yet."

Dylan was still home, a few years later. He had begun to pick up the slack around the farm due to his father's declining stamina. It sure made Jack happy, and it was nice to help out.. But Dylan wasn't happy.

And it didn't go unnoticed.

"Dylan," Jack murmured one night. The men were alone at their dinner table while Nami in bed.

Dylan looked his aged father in the eye. "Yes, sir?"

Jack cleared his throat and stroked his chin. "Why are you here, son?"

"Because you need me."

Jack chucked. "Around the farm you're a great hand.. But I know it's not.. What you want to do. What do you want to do in life, son?"

Dylan looked down at his folded hands; his mannerisms were identical to his father's. "To be happy."

"Go for it. Farming makes me happy. Nami makes me happier. But your happiness makes me happiest. Do what you want with your life before it's too late and you're stuck in a hick town like this."

Dylan's heart raced and his head pounded. He hesitated for a moment, trying not to open the can of worms, but.. "Dad, I'm gay." His palms were sweaty, and he began to hold his breath.

His father smiled. "I know. Goodnight."

* * *

"Dylan! Call Dr. Hardy! Hurry!" Dylan shot out of bed at the sound of his mother's shriek. Without even dressing out of pajamas, he ran out of the house, hurrying to the clinic. The man burst into the door, huffing and puffing

"Dr. Hardy!" He shouted. The man was in bed himself. "Please! My mother needs you!" He pulled the doctor out of bed, and he collected his things, and the two set off.

Jack had died overnight. The entire valley stood still when the news spread. Nami and Dylan spent the weekend huddled close, never leaving one another's side. Takakura silently mended to the farm as well as he could as they grieved, but he was grieving, too.

"I should have gone," Takakura mumbled. "Jack never got to see Dylan marry.. Or have kids.. Such a sad ending to a wonderful life."

"I love you, Mom. If you need me to come back, I'll come back." Dylan had his guitar in one hand and a duffel bag in the other; he was leaving to go start a music career, at his mother's request.

Nami placed her hand on Dylan's cleanly shaven cheek. "Go. You need this." She stood on her tip-toes to kiss Dylan's forehead, but he still had to lean down. "I'll be fine, baby boy. I've learned a thing or two about farming, believe it or not."

"You? Farming? Psh. No way." The duo laughed until silence filled the air.

Nami inhaled deeply. "Go on, Dylan. Go have a wonderful life."


	2. Trick Blue

Ch. 2- Trick Blue

* * *

Pony looked down at the delicate trick blue in her dirty, gloved hands. The young farmer had been accidentally tipped off by Rock that Nami, the woman Pony reluctantly had her eyes on, was quite fond of the fall flower. She had been smitten by the traveller since the day she came to Forget-Me-Not Valley, to take over her father's old farm. Shaking her anxiety away, Pony let the moon guide her to the beach as her only light. Sure enough, Nami was sitting alone in the sand, staring at the ocean. Pony stood back, staring at the red-haired beauty, before approaching her.

"Nami?" Pony whispered.

Nami jumped, startled. She turned, rubbing her eyes. "Jeez, Pony.. Trying to scare me half to death?"

Pony blushed. "Not entirely.." She fiddled with the flower behind her back. "I wanted to talk to you without anyone else listening in." Nami gestured for her to sit next to her in the sand, and Pony followed suit. "Nami, I.." She pulled out the flower. "Here."

Looking at the trick blue, Pony could almost swear she saw a small smile on Nami's face. "What's this for?"

Pony scooted closer; Nami didn't protest. "I wanted to give it to you. I heard.. you like trick blues. And so, I thought, maybe, if I gave one to you, it'd be easier for me to tell you that-"

"That.. you like me?" Pony remained silent, frozen in fear. The flower began to slip from her fingers but Nami took it before it reached the sand. Crickets chirped. Waves crashed ashore. Time passed. Or did it stand still? Neither girl thought about that too much. "I.." Nami hesitated.

Pony stood. "I'm sorry, Nami. I shouldn't.. Have done this." She turned and began to walk away, but Nami grabbed her arm after she, too, sprung on her feet, and turned her around. The two were face to face, nose to nose, even. Slowly, gently, lovingly Nami pecked Pony's quivering lips.

"Don't cry," she whispered. "Thank you for the flower." Nami walked away after squeezing Pony's covered hand, tucking the trick blue behind her left ear.

"You're welcome," Pony murmured.


	3. Potato Soup

Ch. 3- Potato Soup

* * *

Pony clutched her blanket up to her chin, her eyes squinting at the sunlight emitting from her window. It was especially cold this morning, the coldest its been since she came to the valley almost a year before. The young farmer reluctantly crawled out of her small, warm bed, and she kept the blanket around her shoulders. It was when her feet hit the floor that the headache began. Pony groaned, her throat on fire when she did. "I can't be ill," she whispered to herself. Coughing a fit, she made her way to the small kitchen, opening a drawer and finding her thermometer. She popped it under her tongue and sat back down on her unmade bed, feeling wobbly on her feet. After a few minutes the stick beeped and she was able to take the device out. "102.. Not good.. What am I gonna do? I can't go outside in this weather.. Maybe I could, just to alert Takakura.. I really need to stop talking, my throat is-" she coughed and struggled to catch her breath. "-killing me.."

There was a knock on her door. Pony couldn't vocalize that they could come in, but the visitor opened it anyway. "Pony? Are you in here?" Rock, her best friend. "Hey.. Oh, man, you look miserable," he said bluntly. Pony nodded, and she scooted back onto her bed. "Are you okay?"

"No.."

"You sound horrible!" he exclaimed, laughing. "But seriously, I wanna know.. How'd it go with Nami last night?"

Pony sank lower into her sheets. "..Fine.." A blush crept across her face, but it probably wasn't noticeable due to fever.

"I guess we can talk about this later.. Hey. I'll take care of your farm today! That way you can rest up!" Rock didn't let Pony answer, he just ran out of the house. She fell asleep soon after he slammed the door shut.

* * *

Plagued by nightmares, Pony tossed and turned until awoken by a sensation on her shoulder. She sat straight up, yelping. When Pony looked for the source of what awoke her, she was (pleasantly) surprised to find Nami with both her hands up, holding something in one of them. "Nami?"

The red-head blushed. "Sorry.. I saw Rock watering your plants and.. I got.. Concerned." Nami looked away. "I brought you your favorite soup."

"Potatoe?" Pony whispered.

Nami gave a small nod, walking to the counter and pouring some of the soup into a bowl she found in a cupboard below Pony's sink. "It's hot," she murmured. Nami ended up having to spoon-feed the sickly farmer, as she couldn't even sit herself up. "If you're still like this tomorrow I'll call Dr. Hardy." Nami set the bowl down as it was empty. Pony scooted over in the bed and patted the small space beside her. "..Uh.. Can I even do that?" Pony nodded. "Okay. But you owe me if I get sick," Nami said, jokingly. Nami wrapped her arms around Pony's feverish body, which prompted her to fall back asleep. The traveller didn't make any attempt to sleep, as she was content with watching her... "friend" sleep. "What even are you to me, Pony?.. Last night was eye-opening, but.. We didn't make anything official. And it feels wrong to call you just a friend."

* * *

Nami had decided to stay that night, with permission from Pony. "Just to make sure you're okay," she insisted. But there was a hidden meaning; both girls knew that. They knew what they meant to each other but neither spoke of it. Last night was the first time anything was brought up, and it seemed to be the last the way things were going.

"Not if I can help it," Pony mumbled to herself.

"Help what?"

Pony sat up in bed, with little struggle. "I gotta know, Nami. Do you.. Do you like me back? You kissed me, and.. I'm really confused."

Nami looked at her hands. "I don't know. I feel close to you.. And I think I like you. But I was.. I was planning on leaving."

"The valley?" All Nami could do was nod. "..Were you ever going to tell me?"

Nami looked Pony in the eyes. "Not before last night."

Pony looked away. "I can't stop you from going.. I can't force you to stay here if you don't want to."

"..I'm gonna go. But I'll be back in the morning." Pony didn't question Nami's change of heart about staying the night. She needed to be alone right now anyway. Before leaving, Nami pecked Pony's forehead, mumbling something like, "get better". That spot almost burned as Pony tossed and turned into the morning.


	4. Blue Feather

Ch. 4- Blue Feather

* * *

Pony, now recovered, spent all of her time recently on her property. She was almost embarrassed to venture out into the valley, as people likely saw the untamable Rock tend to the farm. Pony was beginning to feel lonely and isolated, but she couldn't bring herself to leave.

"Hey.." The farmer jumped, dropping her recently filled watering can on her crops. "Oh, goddess.. I-"

Pony turned and sighed. "It's okay. Hi, Nami."

Nami picked up the can. "I need to talk to you about something.. It's kind of serious." Before Pony could respond, Nami had pulled out a bright blue feather.

Pony dropped her can. "Is that..?" The redhead nodded. "A blue feather.."

"..I spent some time thinking, and.. I.. I love you, Pony. You're funny, and kind, and you make me want to stay here.. So long as I'm with you. We've been friends for a while, and.. I feel so right about this." Nami looked away, her face as red as her hair.

With her shaking hands, Pony took the blue feather. "I love you, too. I accept your proposal, but.." She glanced around the farm.

"Don't even.. Think about that. If you're happy here, I'm happy here." She pulled the younger girl into her arms, and kissed the top of her head.

"I'm not happy here," Pony admitted.

"What?" Nami let go and backed up.

"I hate it here.. I don't like farm work. It's boring, and dirty, and there's not a lot of satisfaction. I took on the farm for my father, but I just can't.. I'm letting my family down.."

Nami looked at her lover's face intently, then glanced up at the sky, her arms outstretched. "Let's leave."

* * *

 _Dear Takakura,_

 _Thank you so much for this experience.. I did enjoy the friends I made and the adventure.. But farm life? It's not.. My life. Before you come looking for me, just know that I have already left with Nami by my side._

 _Don't worry- I watered the crops, fed the animals, and cleaned the house._

 _Thank you again for being there for me._

 _Oh, I almost forgot. I called in some extra help; my brother, Jack. Expect to see him in the morning._

 _With love,_

 _Pony._


	5. All On My Own

Ch. 5 All On My Own

* * *

Max tilled at the soil slower than usual. He was hiding his clear grief with farm work, and unsurprisingly it wasn't working well. After the third square had been tilled, the young man finally broke. He fell to his knees and sobbed harder than he ever had before.

* * *

Celia, the man's near-elderly mother, watched from the front door. She had tears in her eyes, hurting for her son. Selfish or not, the grieving widow knew she couldn't carry on much longer without her Jack.

Celia turned back and walked into their small home, entering the kitchen she had cooked in for years. She sat at the table and wrote a letter to her son. She slid the note into an envelope, addressing it as My Dearest Max. She entered her son's bedroom, gently placing the letter onto his pillow.

* * *

When Max finished up work in the fields, he was feeling a little better. He felt close to his old man, continuing what he loved. He brought the animals into the barn, where he fed and brushed them. They seemed content with Max's careful movements, but they did notice the lack of Jack. Max could see it in their eyes. "It'll be okay," he promised.

He left the barn quietly, the moon settling between various clouds. When he entered his house, he didn't hear the usual soft humming of his mother. "Mom?" He walked to the kitchen. Nothing. "Mom? Are you in here?" There was a pot full of stew left on the stove. Max shrugged and helped himself to the stew. "She must have gone to bed early," he rationed. Max took a quick shower, cleaned up the kitchen, and went to bed, not noticing the note that had fallen on the floor.

* * *

Max woke up to a knock on his door. He sat up, bewildered. He shuffled over to the front door, pulling up a pair of pants he found on the floor.

Hugh was standing there, panting. "Max, man.. I was taking my morning jog, and.. I.. Saw.."

"Saw what?"

"Your mom. Face down in the river. She drowned, man. I got Dr. Hardy. He's on his way.."

Max ran down to the bridge where Dr. Hardy was already working on his mother. He stood back. The doctor gave him the same look he gave just days prior, when his father passed. "She seemed to have.. Committed suicide, son."

"What?.."

"No sign of force.. She just.. Let herself drown. I'm terribly sorry." Max left without another word. He fed the animals, cuddled them, milked the cows, and watered the crops. He stocked half of the milk in the fridge and sent the rest to be shipped. Then, Max went into his room. He saw the note on the floor. He knelt down and picked it up, opening it.

* * *

 _Maxwell Henry Granger, my son. I love you with all of my heart. I do. And I know you can continue this farm with more heart than your father ever had. I'm sorry I cannot continue being here. I love you._

 _\- Mom_

* * *

Max let the letter hit the floor. He entered the bedroom of his parents and silently crawled into their bed, being truly alone for the first time in his life.


End file.
